Daily calories and grams for a 10 lb (4.5 kg) cat
Resting energy for 4.5 kg is 218 kcal (70 × 4.50.75). Multiply by the factor for the life stage to get the day's energy, then divide by the food's kcal per gram.
| Life stage | kcal a day | g at 3,400 kcal/kg | g at 3,800 kcal/kg | g at 4,200 kcal/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutered adult | 261 | 77 | 69 | 62 |
| Intact adult | 305 | 90 | 80 | 73 |
| Inactive or prone to weight gain | 218 | 64 | 57 | 52 |
| Kitten | 544 | 160 | 143 | 130 |
These are averages from the Merck/WSAVA energy factors. Your cat may need 10 to 20% more or less. Check the energy on your own food's label and use the calculator below.
Meals, treats and cost
| Two meals a day (neutered adult) | 34 g each |
|---|---|
| Three meals a day | 23 g each |
| Treat allowance (10% of calories) | 26 kcal: 13 pieces of 2 kcal, or 3.3 of 8 kcal |
| Dry food as a share of body weight | 1.5% a day |
| Calories per kilogram of body weight | 57.6 kcal per kg |
Monthly food cost at example prices
Cost = grams a day × 30 ÷ 1,000 × price per kg. The prices are examples; use your own.
| Price per kg | 4.00 | 6.00 | 8.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry food, 3,800 kcal/kg | 8.24 | 12.37 | 16.49 |
| Wet food at 1,000 kcal/kg (price per kg: 3.00, 5.00, 7.00) | 23.50 / 39.16 / 54.83 | ||
How long a bag lasts
| Bag size | 2 kg | 4 kg | 8 kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days at 69 g a day | 29 | 58 | 116 |
On wet food only, a 10 lb (4.5 kg) cat needs about 3.1 cans of 85 kcal a day.
A sample day for a 10 lb (4.5 kg) cat
One way to lay out a neutered adult's day on a 3,800 kcal/kg dry food, with treats counted inside the total.
| Time | What | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Meal | 31 g |
| During the day | Treats and training rewards (counted) | 26 kcal |
| Evening | Meal | 31 g |
| All day | Fresh water | Always available |
Meals are smaller than the table above because the treat allowance of 26 kcal is taken out of the day's 261 kcal: 235 kcal of meals is 62 g.
If you feed wet and dry together
Split the calories, not the grams. This uses a wet food of 1,000 kcal/kg and a dry food of 3,800 kcal/kg for a neutered adult needing 261 kcal.
| Share of calories from wet food | Wet food | Dry food |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | 65 g | 52 g |
| 50% | 131 g | 34 g |
| 75% | 196 g | 17 g |
Do not add wet food on top of the full dry amount: that doubles the calories it replaces.
How 10 lb compares with nearby weights
| Weight | kcal a day (neutered adult) | g of 3,800 kcal/kg food | kcal per kg of body weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 lb (3.2 kg) | 200 | 53 | 62.9 |
| 8 lb (3.6 kg) | 221 | 58 | 60.9 |
| 9 lb (4.1 kg) | 241 | 63 | 59.1 |
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | 261 | 69 | 57.6 |
| 11 lb (5.0 kg) | 280 | 74 | 56.2 |
| 12 lb (5.4 kg) | 299 | 79 | 55.0 |
| 13 lb (5.9 kg) | 318 | 84 | 53.9 |
Why a cat twice as heavy does not eat twice as much
Energy needs rise with body weight to the power 0.75, not in a straight line. Moving from 10 lb to 11 lb is a 10% weight increase but only about 7% more calories. At 10 lb (4.5 kg), the neutered figure is 57.6 kcal per kg of body weight.
What changes your cat's number
- Neutering and activity. The table shows a 10 to 30% spread between stages.
- The food. A richer food means fewer grams for the same calories.
- Treats. They count within the daily total.
- Weight trend. Weigh monthly, score body condition and adjust by about 10%.
- Health. A pet on a veterinary diet or with a health condition should follow the vet's plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a 10 lb (4.5 kg) cat eat a day?
A neutered adult of 10 lb (4.5 kg) needs about 261 kcal a day. On a 3,800 kcal/kg dry food that is about 69 g. Intact and inactive cats need 305 and 218 kcal.
How many meals a day for a 10 lb cat?
Two meals of about 34 g, or three of about 23 g, using the same 3,800 kcal/kg food. Your vet may suggest a different pattern.
How many treats can a 10 lb cat have?
Treats should stay within about 10% of daily calories, which is 26 kcal: 13 pieces of 2 kcal or 3.3 pieces of 8 kcal. Subtract them from the meals.
Other weights
- 7 lb cat7 lb (3.2 kg)
- 8 lb cat8 lb (3.6 kg)
- 9 lb cat9 lb (4.1 kg)
- 11 lb cat11 lb (5.0 kg)
- 12 lb cat12 lb (5.4 kg)
- 13 lb cat13 lb (5.9 kg)
Related guides
- How many calories does a cat need?
- How many grams of dry food does a cat need?
- Cat feeding chart by weight
- How much wet food should a cat eat?
How we calculate: RER = 70 × kg0.75, times the life-stage factor, as set out on Formulas & sources. This page is general information, not veterinary advice; ask your vet about your cat.